In the Classroom: Nails (Part Two)

Nail care is important. 

Hello my lovelies! Happy Monday! I thought I'd brighten up the beginning of your week with some fun facts. Did you know nails are made out of a protein called keratin, just like our hair? And if you're right handed, the nails on your right hand will grow faster? Works with lefty's too... Like me! And did you know humans have been doing manicures for over 4,000 years? Maybe not in nail salons, but the concept is pretty much the same. Ooh, and did you know rubber bands last longer when refrigerated? Haha, I bet you learned more in the last 30 seconds than you did in school today.

Caring for your nails is important. Your nails are the barrier between you and infection, not to mention they're this year's #1 accessory. Fun Fact: Did you know the condition of your nails is a tell-tale sign of your health status? So if your body is healthy, your nails are healthy... And vice versa.

General Nail Care Tips

1. Lack of vitamins and minerals in your system shows on the surface of your nails. No dieting and malnutrition! Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
2. Your nails are not tools; don't use them to break things, pick things up, open things, etc. That's what fingers and can openers are for!
3. Regularly cut the free edges of your nails. Not completely, but regularly cutting your nails actually helps them grow faster. 
4. Moisturize and use nail oils. Just like your skin and your hair, nails get dry, and regularly moisturizing them keeps them healthy and smooth. Nail oils can help stimulate growth and strengthen your nails.
5. Wear gloves more often. When washing the dishes, doing the laundry, gardening, and especially cleaning the house, your hands get exposed to many harsh chemicals. Protect your skin and your nails by wearing gloves for more than just going outside!
6. Be careful with certain nail products. Especially in nail polish remover, there may be strong chemicals that can actually damage your nails. If your nails seem stained, dry, or brittle, stop using that product and give your nails a rest. Then try a milder one.

Cuticle Care

Credit to health.howstuffworks.com

Your cuticles are protectors; they prevent infection and cover the tissue that builds new nail cells. Some cuticles are smooth and clean, while others are ragged and thick. Whichever category you fall in, do not cut your cuticles. It is unsafe and unnecessary.

1. If your cuticles are covering half of your nail, rather than cut them, push them back while they're soft, like after you take a shower. 
2. Don't pick at or press on your cuticles, be gentle with them!
3. Use cuticle cream or cuticle oil to moisturize your cuticles. Remember, cuticles are still skin, and dry out too, especially in colder climates. Dry cuticles are unsightly.

Alrighty, one last Fun Fact: Diamonds can be made from peanut butter. True story. 

Tune in tomorrow for Part Three!

Stay beautiful!

In the Classroom: Nails

These are some nice nails... I'm envious!

Hello, my lovelies! Before anything, I have to wish my older sister Alexis Angelettie a happy SEVENTEENTH BIRTHDAY!!!! Oh gosh, she's getting so old. Gross.

And in other unrelated news, with a fine point pink sharpie, I traced over all the lettering on the keyboard of my MacBook yesterday afternoon... God forbid I end up trying to sell my laptop to Pinky Dinky Doo one day... Does anyone remember that show? The story box? Mr. Guinea Pig?

Alright, never mind with my childhood television preferences. Back to beauty blogging... Uh–where was I? Oh yeah, what's really been on my mind is nails. I'm sure you remember from How to Create Marble Nails that I used to have a terrible habit of biting my nails... Luckily I'm happy to say that I'm wrapping up my 6th week without biting a single nail! Hallelujah! 

To celebrate almost 7 weeks without biting my nails, I'm writing another In the Classroom special, this time on, well, nails. And just like In the Classroom: Skincare, I'll be breaking this into parts. This first part is all about the anatomy of your nails.

Credit to curesforbeauty.com for this image.

The basic anatomy of a fingernail includes:

• The Cuticle - a thicker layer of skin between the nail and your skin to protect from infection. 
• The Lunula - a white semicircle or moon at the base of the nail.
• The Nail Bed - also known as the body of the nail, is the pinkish part, and the largest portion of your nail.
• The Free Edge - the white nail that contributes to the length of your nails; the part that can be filed and shaped.
• The Lateral Nail Fold - the separation between your nail and the rest of your finger.

I'm sorry, but I just can't believe you don't remember Pinky Dinky Doo. So I've provided you with a helpful reminder of the wonderful show that taught us Big Fancy Words and hatred of the color pink (alright, that last part didn't rub off on me). 




Okay, if you still don't remember this absolutely amazing girl with the pink hair who ironically enough hates the color pink, then you better go to Youtube right now and watch some old episodes.

Oh yeah, and come back tomorrow for Part Two of In the Classroom: Nails. Hehe.

Stay beautiful! 

In the Classroom: Skincare (Part Three)

My personal roundup of skincare products!

Hello, my lovelies! This is the third and final piece of the In the Classroom: Skincare series. You've learned all about the science of your pores, the Beauty Sectors of the Face, and with the help of the Aisles of Beauty Skin Type Chart, you've found your skin type!

Woah, that's a lot! But all of it was in preparation for the big finale. It's time to take everything you learned and design a beauty routine perfect for YOU!

Remember when I said how personalized skincare is? It depends on your skin type, allergies, preferences to smell and texture, and pricing is a biggie, too. At this point, deciding what products to use is completely up to you, and what you know is perfect for your skin. It's a trial and error process; you may find one product that's great, and another that isn't so hot. From here on, the only thing I can do is let you know what kinds of products you should be looking for. I'm talking about your Beauty Routine. Your Beauty Routine is designed specifically and exclusively for YOU, based on your schedule and all the other factors I listed earlier. 

You should wash and moisturize your face every morning and every night for the healthiest, most glowing skin possible. Here's a basic guideline of how your beauty routine should work in the AM and in the PM.

Morning: Wash your face with a gentle facial cleanser. Moisturize with face lotion. 
Most recently, I've been using Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Facial Cleanser and Clarins Paris Multi-Active Jour. My mom got Multi-Active Jour for me, so I'm not sure where you can find it.

Evening: Wash your face with either the same facial cleanser or a slightly stronger one (your choice). Use toner to cleanse away chlorine and clean out pores. Moisturize with long lasting lotion.
I use Proactiv's Three Step System every few days for a stronger cleansing. The three step system comes with a cleanser, toner, and acne cream, so this spring/summer I've been using that kit's toner. I moisturize with St. Ives Intensive Healing Lotion. I like to wear it to bed because even though it works wonders, it smells like bananas. O_o

Let's review! Here's your shopping list:

1. Facial Cleanser (two if you want to change between AM and PM)
2. Toner
3. Face Lotion

When buying these products, think about your skin type. A person with dry skin would want to use a higher power moisturizer than someone with oily skin, and if you have sensitive skin, be VERY careful when buying toner. Opt for a toner without alcohol for the sake of your face. And combination skin people! You may have to buy multiple cleansers and lotions to take care of your dry areas and oily areas. Some reputable companies that are fantastic with skincare are: Aveeno, Cetaphil, Clarins, Clean and Clear, Clinique, and Neutrogena. There are tons more to try out, ask the staff of different stores and companies for advice; they'll be more than happy to help! 

It's been a pleasure educating you all on the basics of skincare! Take my advice and go create your perfect beauty routine! What products do you use? What brands are your favorite? Leave it in the comments or let me know!

Stay Beautiful!

In the Classroom: Skincare (Part Two)

The Beauty Sectors of the Face.

Hello, my lovelies! I'm feeling much better today... I slept in and had some breakfast, cleaned my room, put my laptop on my desk, and I've spent a solid two hours so far of pure Aisles of Beauty work all business-like. I've been making minor site fixes, working on posts, and (SPOILER ALERT) there might be a collaboration of some sort in the near future... Feel free to let the mystery drive you crazy. :)

If you haven't already read Part One of the In the Classroom: Skincare series, I recommend reading that first. Now let's get started!

The first part of today's lesson is about the Beauty Sectors of the Face. Look at the picture to your left. There are four main named sections on the face that we refer to when talking about skincare. 

• The T Zone - refers to forehead down to the tip of the nose, creating a T shape.
• The Eye Area - refers to the skin surrounding the eyes.
• The S Zone - refers to the cheeks.
• The O Zone - refers the chin and the area around the mouth.

You'll need to think about the Beauty Sectors of YOUR Face to determine your skin type. Once you know your skin type, you'll finally be able to to pinpoint the best products for you!

There are 5 main skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive. Using the Official Aisles of Beauty Skin Type Chart, find which of the 5 main skin types sounds most like your face! Just click on the chart to enlarge it.

Once you determine your skin type, come back tomorrow for Part Three!

Stay Beautiful!

In the Classroom: Skincare

Taking care of her skin!

Hello, my lovelies! I have a terrible case of the sniffles, with a sore throat as well. So my busy week's events are out, but luckily for you, that leaves me plenty of time to bulk up on posts! When writing this post, I had so much to say, I had to break it into parts. And sorry about missing yesterday, I was too sick to even look at my computer. So, introducing... In the Classroom: Skincare!

Starting at age 10, and for the rest of your life, taking care of your skin becomes a priority. So it'd only make sense to explain the basic science of your skin; more specifically, your pores.

Your pores are tiny holes in the skin that allow natural oils created under the skin to reach the surface and keep your skin soft and supple. 

But often, we don't think of pores that way. We think of them as the reason for blackheads and acne. TVs advertise pore strips and cleansers that minimize your pores and give you flawless skin. Pores aren't a bad thing, as long as you know what you're doing.

Pores can get clogged with dirt, oils, and makeup that you put on the surface of your skin. This blocks the natural oils that are made in your body from coming out to lubricate your skin. Remember? That's the pores job. That's when breakouts start; acne and blackheads.

Keeping the breakouts away is easy; all you have to do is take care of your skin. Just wash your face, and make sure you wash away the dirt, oils, and makeup so they don't clog your pores. Simple as this task is, this is where all the confusion begins. Truth be told, there are dozens of ways to cleanse your skin and keep it healthy. 

It's a personalized matter; skincare is different for every person. If you have dry skin vs. oily skin, tough skin vs. sensitive skin, how much time you have in your schedule, allergies, preferences to smells and textures... Get the point? You've got the science of your skin down, but there's still a whole world to learn.

Come back for Part Two!

This has been Part One of In the Classroom: Skincare. Stay beautiful!